Poinsettia plant named ‘Bkponar’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Bkponar’, characterized by its broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; large and full inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPONAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bkponar’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create new uniform and freely-branchingPoinsettia plants with good postproduction longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in January, 2009 in De Kwakel, The Netherlands of a proprietaryselection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number2000417, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number2000430, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newPoinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands inDecember, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, TheNetherlands since March, 2012 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bkponar’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bkponar’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiaplant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Large and full inflorescences with bright red-colored flower        bracts.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more upright than and not as        broad as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia have darker red-colored flower        bracts than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more upright than and not as        broad as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia have lighter green-colored        leaves than plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the male parent selection        differ in flower bract color as flower bracts of the male parent        selection are pink in color.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Floasatur’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,230.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands,plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘Floasatur’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Floasatur’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower earlier than plants of        ‘Floasatur’.    -   3. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are more rugose        than flower bracts of ‘Floasatur’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Bkponar’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Bkponar’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 13-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, The Netherlandsand under cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettiaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 17° C. to 18° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 16°C. Plants were pinched one time and were 23 weeks old when thephotographs and the detailed description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Bkponar’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 2000417, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of            Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number            2000430, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 17° C. to 19° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 17° C. to 19° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright and uniformly            mounded plant habit; inverted triangle with rounded crown;            large full inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane;            moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 26.4            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 29.9            cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 47.2 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely            branching habit, about six lateral branches develop after            pinching. Length: About 25.7 cm. Diameter: Thick, about            7 mm. Internode length: About 1.6 cm. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Angle:            About 35° from vertical. Color, when developing: Close to            146B. Color, fully developed: Close to 147A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 11.4 cm. Width: About 9.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Apiculate. Base: Obtuse to very short acuminate. Margin:            Shallowly lobed, slightly angulate. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Slightly rugose, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing leaves,            upper surface: Close to 143A. Developing leaves, lower            surface: Close to 138A to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Darker than between 147A and N189A; venation, close            to between NN137D and N138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 182A to 183C; venation, close to 182A to            182C. Petioles: Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous;            glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 187A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 183A to 183B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Large full inflorescences are            compound corymbs of cyathia with bright red-colored flower            bracts subtending the cyathia; one inflorescence per lateral            branch with inflorescences positioned above and beyond the            foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during the            winter under long nyctoperiod conditions; inflorescence            initiation and development can be induced under artificial            long nyctoperiod conditions; early flowering habit, response            time is about seven weeks.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about 30 days; flower bracts            not persistent.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 17. Length:            About 11.8 cm. Width: About 10 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate.            Apex: Apiculate. Base: Obtuse to short acuminate. Margin:            Entire; slightly to moderately repand. Venation: Pinnate.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly            rugose, glabrous; matte. Aspect: Mostly horizontal to            slightly drooping. Color: Developing bracts, upper surface:            Slightly darker than 53A. Developing bracts, lower surface:            Close to 46A. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to            N45B and 46B; venation, close to N45B; color does not fade            with development. Fully expanded bracts, lower surface:            Close to N45C and 46C; venation, close to N45C; color does            not fade with development. Bract petioles: Length: About            2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous; glossy. Color, upper surface:            Close to 187B. Color, lower surface: Close to 187C.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten. Length: About            1.3 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster,            inner and outer surfaces: Glabrous; matte. Color,            developing, inner surface: Close to 146C. Color, developing,            outer surface: Close to 143B; towards the apex, close to            N45C to N45D. Color, fully developed, inner surface: Close            to 144C; towards the apex, close to 47A. Color, fully            developed, outer surface: Close to 143B; towards the apex,            close to 47A. Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: Typically            two. Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape:            Club-shaped. Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces:            Glabrous; matte. Color, developing and fully developed,            inner surface: Close to 144C to 144D. Color, developing and            fully developed, outer surface: Close to 144C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm to 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm            to 3 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Erect to about            45° from vertical. Texture and luster: Glabrous; glossy.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            ten. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to            46A. Anther shape: Club-shaped. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 46A. Amount of pollen: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Pistil development has            not been observed on plants of the new Poinsettia. Seeds and            fruits: Seed and fruit production has not been observed on            plants of the new Poinsettia.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate high temperature about 35° C. and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘Bkponar’ asillustrated and described.